This homemade liquid laundry detergent is the best homemade laundry detergent ever! Save money on detergent without sacrificing quality!
Why I Choose Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
We are so excited to share this homemade liquid laundry detergent recipe with you today. After a lot of trial and error, I feel confident I’ve found a really great homemade laundry detergent recipe. We have actually tried homemade laundry detergent recipes twice before this one, and neither impressed me. In full disclosure, my first two attempts were for dry laundry detergent.
I had almost given up on homemade laundry detergent completely, when my good friend Keesha texted me and said she had a recipe and wanted to make it together! I had my doubts, but she told me her mom and her sister had both been using this kind forever and swore by it, so I decided I would give it a go. Holy cow. I am in love with this homemade liquid laundry detergent, it is AMAZING!
Every time I open up the washer to switch loads, I am filled with joy because it smells fresh and clean. It also doesn’t leave gross residue, and gets out tough dirt and stains. Suffice it to say, this recipe is gonna shrink your laundry expenses considerably! Let’s get started shall we?
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Liquid Laundry Detergent Ingredients
Fels-Naptha soap bar
Washing soda
Borax
Essential oils (optional)
Water
After gathering your ingredients you will start by grating your Fels-Naptha soap bar. Here is what the Fels-naptha soap looked like after grating it. You want to use the smallest grater that you have, so that it melts as quickly and easily as possible!
While you are grating your soap start four cups of water boiling.
Add your grated Fels-Naptha bar and stir over medium heat until soap is completely melted.
Next, fill your five gallon bucket up halfway with hot tap water.
Then add your other dry ingredients and stir together.
Finally, fill your bucket the rest of the way with hot water and stir again.
How much liquid laundry detergent does this recipe make?
This recipe makes a 5 gallon tub of liquid detergent. You only need 1/2 cup detergent for top loader machines and 1/4 for front loader machines per load! It’s easy to see how utilizing homemade laundry detergent can add up to a big savings!
Be sure to clearly label your containers so that everyone knows they contain a detergent. Also, if you have young children be sure to keep your laundry detergent in a childproof container or on a high shelf. Here is the gallon jar I used, and here is a good five gallon bucket! I also love this gamma seal lid!
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
Equipment
- 5 gallon bucket
Ingredients
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1/2 cup Borax
- essential oils (optional)
- 5 gallon bucket
Instructions
- Heat 4 cups of water until boiling.
- Grate your Fels-Naptha soap bar (I just used a cheese grater) and add to boiling water. Stir continuously over medium low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
- Fill your 5 gallon bucket half full with HOT tap water, add melted soap, washing soda, and borax and stir well until all powder is dissolved.
- Fill the bucket the rest of the way to the top with hot water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
- The next day, stir well and fill an old laundry detergent container with detergent.
- If desired, add your essential oils at this point! I use Doterra citrus bliss.
Video
Notes
- Shake well before each use, because detergent can separate a bit.
- Top load machines use 1/2 cup per load, front load machines use 1/4 cup per load.
- Here is the gallon jar I used, and here is a good five gallon bucket!
It’s SO easy and SO worth it you guys! I can guarantee you’re gonna be glad you tried this homemade liquid laundry detergent!
Check out these other awesome laundry related posts!
Free Printable Laundry Cheat Sheet
How to Clean your Washing Machine
xo,
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*This post was originally written September 1, 2014 and has been updated.
Oh nevermind. I’m apologize. I didn’t read the directions well enough. I was looking at the ingredient list.
Is it really only 4 cups of water not 4 gallons? To
Make a 5 gallon bucket
Can you use oxiclean when you you make the detergent?
I’m on my second 5 gallon bucket of this wonderful detergent! I use a tidy cat 5 gallon container to hold my detergent. It’s convenient because the lid lifts up on one end…I have two of them rotating so I always have detergent! I know in the last 3 months I have saved more than a hundred dollars.
Our clothes smell great and are super clean .
This is a tried and true recipe!!!
Oh my goodness your comment made my day! I’m so glad you love it and it’s working so well for you. Mine just ran out yesterday, time for another batch!!
Is there something that acts as the detergent in this?
Yes, the washing soda!
How many drops of essential oils please
I accidentally used the whole box of borax and super wash… Will it still be okay or what do you recommend I do? ??♀️
I would maybe double the recipe so it isn’t as disproportionate, but on the bright side you will have a lot of detergent, haha!
That much Borax will strip colors !